Methodist Blogger Profile: Wes Magruder

Wes Magruder of Preach Peace

I am a Missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries, appointed as Mission Director of the Cameroon New Mission Initiative. Cameroon is located in West Africa, between Nigeria and Central Africa Republic. My wife, Leah, serves as Area Financial Executive and Christian Education Director of the Mission. We have lived in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, for one and a half years, along with our three children, Rachel, Chloe and Mallory. I was ordained an elder in the North Texas Conference, where my membership still resides. Before becoming a missionary, I pastored two churches in North Texas, and two churches in London, England. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Radio/TV/Film from Cal State Long Beach, a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology, SMU, and a Doctor of Ministry from Brite Divinity School, TCU.

Why do you blog?

At first, I blogged because I thought I had some pretty interesting things to say. And I wanted to record the experiences that I had as a missionary in Cameroon. But after awhile, I began to grow weary of writing about myself and my interior life – it became too self-important. So I have begun to shift my focus more and more to the people, sights, sounds and smells of West Africa. Surprisingly, the blog has become an important part of my communication to the States-side people and churches who support the Cameroon Mission Initiative. Instead of waiting on a newsletter once every four months, churches can know what is happening now on the mission field.

What has been your best blogging experience?

I have several Sunday School groups that read my blog regularly and then talk about it in their class on Sunday. One of the groups asked me to post weekly prayer requests, which I now do every Monday.

What would be your main advice to a novice blogger?

Post regularly. There’s nothing more frustrating than discovering a blog that is halfway interesting, then checking a week later … and nothing’s changed.

If you could only read three blogs a day, what would they be?

Here’s a terrible admission – I don’t have time to read many other blogs at all. For one, our connection in Cameroon is pretty slow ... just barely better than standard dial-up. So it takes a long time for pages to pull up. The only blog I check regularly is SportsSay, from the sportswriters at The Dallas Morning News, where I keep up with my favorite Dallas teams.

Who are your spiritual heroes?

Menno Simons, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the nonviolent revolutionaries of the 20th century, Jim Wallis, and Stanley Hauerwas.

What are you reading at the moment?

I just finished reading a fantastic novel, “The Darling,” by Russell Banks about an American leftist rebel who lives in Liberia for a time, caring for chimpanzees. (I also highly recommend Banks’ “Cloudsplitter,” a fictional retelling of the life and times of John Brown.) Currently, I am reading Nikos Kazantzakis’ autobiography, “Report to Greco.” It’s a tough, meaty read, but worth the time.

What is your favorite hymn and why?

This is tough because I don’t really like hymns (sorry, Charles W!). Personally, I prefer Iona and Taize stuff. But if pressed, I would have to choose “Jerusalem,” written by William Blake, which I learned while pastoring in England. Probably just because … it was written by William Blake!

Can you name a major moral, political, or intellectual issue on which you've ever changed your mind?

I don’t know if this counts as a “major” issue, but I am changing my mind on what we ought to do on Sundays. I remember when the blue laws were repealed in North Texas and shopping was allowed on Sunday for the first time. Lots of Christians were opposed to the idea at the time, but gradually we all got used to it. The idea of keeping any kind of Sabbath has become counter-cultural again, and I think it’s about time we embrace Sabbath-keeping. I’m not in favor of legislation; instead, Christians need to think seriously about what Sabbath means.

What philosophical thesis do you think is most important to combat?

There are two that I especially dislike: one, that everything is relative, and two, that there are firm absolutes. There’s gotta be something in the middle there.

If you could effect one major change in the governing of your country, what would it be?

I think it’s about time to eliminate capital punishment, once and for all. Everywhere I go around the world, I run across people who ask me why Americans still practice such a crude and barbarous thing. And I don’t have a good answer.

If you could effect one major policy change in the United Methodist Church, what would it be?

There are many, believe me. But the most important one for me would be to equalize the salaries of all elders, from newbies to district superintendents to bishops. This is what the British Methodist Church does, and I think the effect would be … well, Christ-like. It might reduce the ridiculous amount of career ladder-climbing that goes on in the church.

What would be your most important piece of advice about life?

Everyday, make space and time to be with God alone.

What, if anything, do you worry about?

This isn’t good because I’m a missionary … I have developed a fear of flying. When I get on a plane, I tend to spend too much time worrying about what it would be like to be going down …

If you were to relive your life to this point, is there anything that you'd do differently?

I would have become a United Methodist earlier in my life. As people say about Texas, “I wasn’t born here, but I got here as quick as I could!”

Where would you most like to live (other than where you do now)?

Ever since viewing a beautiful film by Wim Wenders entitled “Wings of Desire,” I have always wanted to live in Berlin.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I love listening to my new mp3 player, reading novels, and watching major-league baseball. At the moment, I can only do two out of three … sigh. (However, I did win my fantasy league this past season. Not bad for a guy who didn’t get to watch a single live pitch and lives halfway across the world.)

What is your most treasured possession?

My entire U2 and Bob Dylan collection of CDs. I could exist on a desert island with just those discs, I think.

What talent would you most like to have?

To speak many different languages.

If you could have any three guests, past or present, to dinner who would they be?

Assuming that my wife could be there, too, and not count as one of the three guests -- Bono, Sandra Bullock, and Martin Scorcese. Hey, it could happen …